Could the USS Liberty surface as a campaign issue?
The latest news on the Liberty, the Navy spook ship attacked by Israel on June 8, 1967, during the Six-Day War, is that recently released National Security Agency documents are backing up what many — including the survivors of Liberty — have been saying for 40 years: that Israel knew full well that it was attacking — with aerial strafing, napalm and torpedoes — an American vessel.
You may have read it on Military.com, one of the few news sites to run the piece in total. Other than The Chicago Tribune, which came out with the story, only The Baltimore Sun picked up the piece, according to a Google search.
It will be interesting to see is whether any presidential candidates address the latest revelations, since those from both parties frequently tout longstanding ties and mutual loyalty between the U.S. and Israel.
One candidate with a real interest in this story is Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who five years ago endorsed a book, The Liberty Incident, that concluded it was a mistake. McCain’s interest stems from the fact that his father, the late Adm. John S. McCain, was commander of U.S. Naval Forces, Europe, at the time, and ordered the official court of inquiry to investigate the attack.
Based on the court’s findings, Adm. McCain concluded it was a case of mistaken identity. But five years ago the legal advisor to the court broke his own silence in an interview with me, calling the final report a sham, a cover-up. It was about that same time that The Liberty Incident, by A. Jay Cristol, a former Navy pilot and retired judge, hit the bookshelves.
Sen. McCain praised the book and its findings in a blurb that appeared on the back cover.
In recent months there have been more revelations about the attack and immediate aftermath, however. In June, I reported that the Navy already was calling the attack accidental in its casualty notification telegrams to next of kin even before the court of inquiry convened for the first time.
Then came the Tribune story last week, reporting that the National Security Agency’s deputy director of operations in 1967 now confirms that transcripts of U.S. intercepts of Israeli communications show the Israelis knew exactly who they were attacking.
Oliver Kirby is quoted in the Trib story as recalling the Israeli pilots several times identifying the ship as American but being told to attack anyway. While some of the original transcripts and intel have disappeared, the story reports that some of it is still in U.S. government archives.
So far, calls to McCain’s senate and campaign offices have not been returned.
– Bryant Jordan
The fact that no less personages than;
Joe Meadors
USS Liberty Survivor
Director of Operations
USS Liberty Veterans Association
Website: http://www.ussliberty.com
Email: joe@ussliberty.com
and
the great, unimpeachable, James Ennes himself felt obliged to come to this site and debate a largely anonymous and powerless voice in the wilderness leads me to believe that somebody, somewhere, is worried about something.
What with time running out and everybody rushing to cover their ass before the Christmas rush, you guy’s ought to step into the 21st century and learn how to google.
1967 Hearings of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Declassified transcripts of dozens of closed hearings of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from 1967 have now been published.
The hearings feature testimony by Director of Central Intelligence Richard Helms and other Johnson Administration officials on Soviet nuclear weapons policy, anti-ballistic missiles, Vietnam, the Middle East, and other topics of contemporary concern.
See “Executive Sessions of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Together with Joint Sessions with the Senate Armed Services Committee (Historical Series),” Volume XIX, 1967, made public in 2007.
http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/2007/04/1967_hearings_of_the_senate_fo.html
“You have assumed a position that holds that it is permissible to abandon an American military unit while that unit is under fire.“
I have done nothing of the sort. Your gov’t assumed that position. The fact that you ever expected them to do otherwise means you’re an idiot,who has no understanding of the country, society, or the world you live in. The very idea that you ever thought that were anything but expendable as far as the US Navy, The Office of Naval Intelligence, or the NSA was concerned is pathetic and laughable.
Jonah,
Can we prove it? “It” being the fact that the Israelis used unmarked aircraft and jammed our radios on both US Navy tactical and international maritime distress frequencies?
Of course.
I “have assumed a position that holds that it is permissible to commit war crimes” by actively pursuing a course that would result in a complete and comprehensive public investigation of the attack on the USS Liberty?
Neat trick.
Warmest regards,
Joe
Anybody who is interested in somewhat more objective viewpoints re. The Libert Incident other than that of John Loftus or James Ennes, I would recommend this website;
http://members.aol.com/libertyincident/index.html
I found this gentleman’s cynicism, incredulousness, and acerbic wit refreshing after all the half-assed patriotism and flag waving that has apparently become par for the course everytime Mr Ennes and his buddies beg you to put aside critical thinking and logical thought and just take their unassailable word for it.
Oh. You mean like the doctored photo’s that regularly appear on the LVA website?
To wit;
”…While the narration is full of various types of misrepresentations it is the doctored USN photo which jumps right out at the viewer, and pretty much sums up how ridiculous has become the LVA story. The below doctored photo is displayed by the LVA as supposedly representing how easy it would have been for the Israeli jet pilots to have seen Liberty’s flag (as if the attacking jets flew that low and that close.) The quote is:
“D) The big AMERICAN FLAG.“
http://members.aol.com/libertyincident/RGxxfakephoto.html
reviewing various myths, stories and tales
surrounding the USS Liberty incident
”…one photo, two different tales
Sounds like U.S. Citizens should follow the zionist advice and take out all sources of spying in the U.S. Which are mostly Israeli.
When Zionists find God the world will love them again. Maybe.
jonah, are you a hasbara-sayanim internet patroller? your sources have been exposed many times. the author of the “liberty incident” was totally discredited for lies you are repeating here. you and your comrades have no regard for truth, humanity, the people of united states or even israeli people. you can’t conceal the truth with your veil of fraud over here in the usa forever bub. stay in israel where you are probably better off. your propaganda will be obliterated every time in the comapny of usa veterans and active duty personnel. we americans (jews and non-jews alike) trust dozens of usa naval veterans (jews and non-jews alike) and conscientious israeli pilots, over the agents of a nation that committed false flag terror missions and espionage against our country over the decades. some of us already know how your mossad and idf agents are undermining our guys over in iraq and afghanistan. just like you did in lebanon in ’83. most people don’t know about that, but the usa state dept knows and so does the cia and some in the pentagon. one more thing, you israeli agents have a way of acting like israel represents judaism. but it’s not even close. learn COMPASSION, JUSTICE and TRUTH before you lay claim to any holy land on my behalf or in the name of G-D!
2 ans the 2 dopes ques above
1.why
this was a false flag op to suck usa into a war and blame egypt for the attack on liberty. this way just like iraq the zionists sit back as we waste our treasure and blood
and they reap all the rewards free. 2.its never time too move on cause when we did they exec. 911.
google — ZIONIST CRIMES -
THESE ROTTEN ZIONIST TRAITORS EXEC. 911
ZAKHEIM,WOLFASHIT,SILVERSTIEN,ZOMBIE SHARON.
BUT THERE DATE WITH DESTINY IS COMING AS
” THE BLOOD OF OUR COMRADES WILL FUEL THE ROCKETS THAT END THE ZIONIST REGIME. ”
Johan:
I’ve skimmed through some of the messages prior to this and am astounded at the things you have said and the syntax used to express them.
I dedicated twenty years of my life to the service of my country and my principal mission was eavesdropping.
Israel attacked the USS Liberty to prevent the United States knowing they were going beyond agreed to boundries. Where would Israel be without the unmitigated support of the Super Power? I don’t think you want a picture such as that to become reality.
For another government (?) to slap a benefactor in the face in such a manner is shameful. Consider the loss of life (fathers. brothers, sons and husbands) from this incident, it really puts an ugly face on Israel.
I will gurantee you that the intelligence gathered was not passed to your opposition, as you stated. If that is so, you really have a super ‘inside’ source that governments would kill for so, watch out, someone wants you for some reason.
Lynn
dont let the uss liberty be forgoten just because 40 yrs has gone by
I have reviewed as much as possible relating to the USS Liberty incident based on as many sources as possible, and tried to challenge sources where I can.
I do not believe that the attack could have been an error or a mistake. I believe it was a deliberate attempt to sink a US Navy ship and bring the US into the war on the part of Israel. Or rather, if there were mistakes, it was simply that the ship wasn’t successfully sunk with all hands aboard. It was therefore nothing short of cold-blooded murder.
What we don’t know is who was responsible and where the blame should be laid. That is why we need a full Congressional investigation. We did this when another ally of ours at the time fired rockets at the USS Stark. Why not now? What are people afraid of?
Fear of the truth is the surest way to create fear of others based on lies.
israel is expendable as far as I am concerned.….G-D
I have been reading about the USS Liberty for years now. I feel so sad that our patriotic soldiers are being annoyed and harassed — for trying to get the TRUTH out, trying to PROTECT AMERICANS from other possible attacks by our “ally”. If the truth does not come out all over the media now, how can we prevent history from repeating itself? We can’t.
I was surprised to read about the Israeli pilot at the scene who reported back to base that the vessel was American, and when he was commanded to continue the attack he chose not to, facing arrest on his return to base.
For the pilot’s story to have come out some 25 years ago, corroborated by the fact that the whole radio exchange was overheard by the US Embassy in London as well as by other radio operators… it’s just amazing that people still refuse to acknowledge this intentional slaughter of US military personnel.
My heart goes out to the victim’s families who still have not seen justice done 40 years later… and to those survivors who have been brave in standing up for their country, even though our politicians will not stand by them.
American citizens are easily duped by their government. U.S. history is cluttered with examples of government feeding false information to forward their own agenda. It’s amazing how it happens over and over with citizen acceptance. Most Americans are sheep and will not question authority. Most of them do not want to be labeled “unpatriotic” or “unamerican” and go with the status quo. Even when it is against their own self interest. The attack on the USS Liberty by the state of Israel over 40 years ago is evidence that we were never allies. This relationship has been destructive to America and will continue as long as its citizens do not question its leadership.
Reasons why the attack on the Liberty try the following
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2001/aug/08/israel
Can anybody tell me where I can get a photocopy that I can download of the transcript of the intercept where Israelis identified the ship as being an American ship?
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Jonah: You are a chuckle head. Joe is way to kind. You need to take your israeli passport and go back to your home country. McCain has israel so far up his asss he’s shittting bagels. He is a tool. Sadly Obama is worse.…but I will not lower myself to vote for Mccain…I’ll hit Barr and walk out with my integrity.
stanford
Jonah is obviously a Troll, working overtime for his Zionist Thug Murdering Masters. USS Liberty Survivors have exposed him for the Coward and Troll he is. Jonah, go tell your Masters the Jig is up. You are doomed to fail in any and all assinine attempts at covering for such a vile bunch of Criminal murdering bastards. Warmest Regards you SOB!
I would think that if a report was filed in a court of law, along with a request, then the report could be progressed through simple filings offered by the court of law. Legal Motions to expedite are available to anything filed within the frame of law — but, military law doesn’t exactly follow the same rules as the civilian courts — the UCMJ is treated as a separate entity altogether and is unique to the constitution with certain “civic demands.“
If that upsets Jonah — or anyone else from another country who is just a little too critical and curious of how we Americans run our military, then I would submit that “it” be all the more reason to further investigate … in other words Jonah, reading your bull shit on this site has proven one thing to the general public…that you defeat your protectionist need with your attitude alone and you project your want for cover up too much, lending credence for the need for an open investigation altogether.
Why is it so hard to get entities to answer simple questions, withstanding national security points of interests?
Anyone who presupposes that the US government acts without honor, nor integrity ought to know better as well — just when you think you know why something may have been, more information comes to bear fruit on the subject putting it in new light…and most often times that information is Classified for good reason — it may connect or lay claim to a whole separate subject outside of relevance to the primary question.
Demonizing “big brother” is to assume that your brother is not acting in our best interest — especially regarding any foreign country’s interest in the US and our society or way of life.
As for now — our open source intelligence is very strong indeed — but its unique relevance without all information is of no consequence other than fodder for pop culture (to feed the beast, so to speak).
In other words Jonah, don’t for a minute think that the US doesn’t have information already…after all everything has a price — money is only a tool, almost as effective as “technology.“
Why certain things are “covert” (or covered up) are of no concern to everyday citizens and the “need to know” perquisite exists for good reason — that is unless an individual has something to hide which is not covered under the constitution which lay all rights and responsibilities out for every private citizen, as well as foreign.
Signed
Intelligence
“the anti-jonah“
ps — jonah, if the israeli’s are responsible for 911 — as a type wake up call I suppose — would you blame them? Is Bin Laden a Sharon cronie now? Is he Jewish? Are you one of those who believes that is father was CIA? Explain his taped confession and need for jihad. Who benefited the most of all from the attacks — what country?
Guys, the whole damn thing was a coverup, I know. My USNSCC (US Naval Sea Cadets) unit is the Liberty (AGTR-5) unit. One of the officers in my unit is a survivor of the attack. He’s told us that the whole thing was a coverup. Besides, it would be pretty damn hard NOT to see a huge American battle flag flying.
I didn’t read all the comments, but it looks like all you guys who don’t believe the story like this “Jonah” need to just listen to the guy that was actually there. To Mr. Joe Meadors, Sir, I am honored to be a part of Liberty (AGTR-5) Division and honor you and your crew’s actions and valor during the incident.
Seaman Recruit Matt Singleton
Liberty (AGTR-5) Division
US Naval Sea Cadet Corps
http://libertyagtr5div.org/